Meat n' Greet

[cityship]

The rest of the crew assembled on the Observation Deck to meet the latest editions to their numbers. After the revelation that their worlds are gone, many of them are even more eager to see people they knew from home.

Several people are set up near the doors to provide the new people with omnicoms and comm rings. New crew-mates might see a tall man in green armor and snake girl among their number. There are also several authoritative-looking figures ready to introduce themselves.

There's a lot to tell the new people. It's going to be a lot to take in.

[ooc: Only new characters and Command Staff can start new threads for introductions, to limit the number of threads. Everyone else, just tag in and have your guys greet the newbies.]

Comments

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

Katara raised her chin and met Azula's gaze evenly. "She stays. You don't command her," she said evenly. "Besides. Even you would not be foolish enough to do something in a room this full of people."

[burnedbrighter.livejournal.com]

"I've done it before." Azula muttered darkly taking a few steps closer to Katara. The world was melting way around her so she only saw the waterbender. "But you shouldn't worry, I'm a good girl now. Big Brother Zuzu showed me the light." But her smile was anything but comforting. It was cruel and dangerously unstable.

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

Katara instinctively moved in front of Kaya. There was no water in Katara's bag, which worried her a little bit since that was her weapon of choice (by nature, anyway), but she was hoping that this room full of champions would step in, should Azula do something she shouldn't. "I doubt that, judging by your approach, Azula. Your smile is warm in all the wrong ways."

[burnedbrighter.livejournal.com]

"I don't know what you mean." She took another step and another, "I'm just doing my best to greet the girl who helped to ruin my life and everything I've ever worked for." She growled barring her teeth before relaxing again into a smile, "But none of that really matters anymore now does it? It's all gone. Our nations, our families. Thank goodness our brother's made it out alive. We'll get to see them die in person."

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

If there was any fear or worry on her face, Katara didn't let it show. She refused to give Azula that satisfaction, even if she was entirely unhinged. "It can be saved. That's why we're here. And no one's dying. Not your brother, and certainly not my brother."

[burnedbrighter.livejournal.com]

"And what makes you so sure?" Azula asked in a playful polite tone as if they were friends. "After all, even the Avatar couldn't save the day."

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

"Confidence in the abilities of myself and my friends, your brother included," Katara said, though she didn't yet know if the Zuko here was friendly or not. From Kaya's being there, Katara was starting to piece together the fact that some people were being taken from different points of history. Thus far, those whom she'd met had been taken from the same point in time that she had, though. Which was good to know. "We were victorious over the Fire Nation, after all." She sighed, then. "Look. We're all on the same side here, Azula. There's no need for this grandstanding, and there's no time for it. There are things more important at stake here. Please. Let's not do this."

[burnedbrighter.livejournal.com]

"Who's grandstanding?" She asked fixing her eyes on Katara's, an unfocused gaze like she was looking right through her. "I'm just having a friendly conversation with the real Katara." She paused with a nod to Kaya, "Not the fake one, she's not the one anyone from our world cares about." Back to Katara, "It's all about you really. You an Zuzu and The Avatar, I suppose Sokka as well but really he's just a silly boy." She waved a hand dismissively, "The world is gone, even the spirit world. Dead and gone."

And then she laughed like it was all some great game. "Oh we're going to have so much FUN together." And though it appeared she was trying to be subtle she shifted into a offensive stance, though her arms were still hanging limp at her sides.

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Kaya let the remarks sting. They were bound to surface, even in the back of her mind where she wanted to keep them, but for now she knew better. They were weapons, and Azula was using them, just as she would in any other battle. It didn't help she'd been thinking that anyway, but now that it was out in the open, she would treat it for what it was: words to make her upset, something she had no intention of giving Azula the satisfaction of using.

"Nothing's gone, just waiting for us to get it back," Kaya said. "Now do yourself a favor and try to remember that when you're trying to needle someone. And just so you know, I'm not Katara, but this?" She brought out HER water, from HER pouch, and had it stream the air a moment, "is real. I'm a waterbender just like she is, and I've been here longer than you. I know the lessons of this ship a BIT more thank you, thanks."

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

Katara watched Kaya, a smile on her lips. This girl was spunky, and she didn't back down in front of Azula. Katara liked that, and respected Kaya all the more for it. She'd have to remember to ask Kaya where she'd gotten the water later.

Katara turned her gaze towards Azula. "She's part of our group," Katara said firmly. "While I may not remember her, Kaya's been nothing but friendly and helpful to me in the short time I've been here. I care. I'm sure the others do, as well." She didn't know, but she couldn't imagine that they wouldn't. Her friends had always been welcoming. "Your definition of the word fun is just as twisted as you are, Azula. I'm telling you, now, to stop this foolishness. There is no need for this."

[burnedbrighter.livejournal.com]

Azula didn't even flinch at the water coming out. "You wouldn't dare and you know it. You had your chance to do the right thing and you couldn't."

And back to Katara, "You've only just arrived, you'll see how the others treat this poor wayward waterbender. It's deplorable really." She shook her head tut tut tutting as if she actually cared. "Why they avoid her almost as much as they avoid me. Would you believe it? And I'm the monster. What would that make her do you think?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"I don't have to kill you with it, just make sure you don't hurt anyone else," Kaya said casually. "Besides, you'll be in trouble soon enough. You were the dumb one that threatened someone who became a councilor. Good luck with that."

She turned apologetically to Katara. "There's a lot I need to explain, its part of the reason why I wanted to have you stay with me tonight. I know you'll run into the guys and they'll tell you some of it, but they've all been podded at least once: I haven't. You ought to know. It's why I think the guys have kept their distance, but I don't blame them. It's complicated."

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

"The more things I experience, the more I realize that life is never not complicated," Katara sighs. "I'm more than willing to stay with you tonight, Kaya. It will give me a chance to get to know you, which I would like," Katara nods.

"As for you, Azula." She raised an eyebrow. "You may have had clout at home, being that you were from the royal family, and in line to become Fire Lord - through machinations of your own, I'm sure. You have no such clout here, and personally, I will not stand for your special brand of insanity. I'm not threatening you, but I am being very honest with you. I'm sure it's a new concept for you, but you'll catch on to it, I'm sure."

[burnedbrighter.livejournal.com]

Azula's expression became inscrutable, and then a bit of confusion. Finally acceptance.

"It's becoming tiresome to hear the same words from different people again and again." She explained her eyes shifting again to that far away look. "I can't so much as question a Councilor with an open door policy about his policies without being accused of having ulterior motives. I can't spend a day without someone calling me insane, or wicked or evil. While I agree entirely it's still not pleasant to hear."

Her eyes focused again on Kaya, "You'll cast me away at the first sign of trouble in hopes that perhaps finally they'll accept you again as who you are not who you want to be. But betrayal is nothing new to me."

And back to Katara, "And you...the last person to raise a hand against me while I wasn't in chains back home. You'd do well to remember that while I have no sway with anyone really." Her voice was very soft "I have nothing to lose either."

"Because what good is freedom when everywhere I go I find more walls?" She turned her back on the girls apparently not wanting to stick around for another rebuttal or further accusations of her mental state or motives.

If they listened they would hear her speaking out loud, though it sounded as if her thoughts were escaping her lips without her consent. "It doesn't matter, nothing you say matters anymore, not to them, not to anyone. Accept what you are and stop fighting."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Kaya shot her a look. "She has her moments of acting like a person, then, she goes right back to being herself. Just so you know, YES, I have tried being friendly with her, I believe like Aang that its possible she can be reasoned with. Of course, her saying those things is abut the worse way to go about things. But she is right in a way: she has to live here, with us, and needs help. The question at this point is if we're able to do anything for her."

She shook her head. "And the truth is, we're not all on board with what should happen with her, not really. That's something I'm going to have to talk more about with you. It would be nice if it was just a fact of she's evil and needs to be stopped. Because there's a lot more, thanks to Stacy, at stake here."

[wet-and-riled.livejournal.com]

"What do you mean by what should happen to her?" Katara asked, her eyes fixed on Azula's retreating figure. Katara felt a little shaken, if she was being honest for herself. She had worried that Azula was going to try to flambe her alive or something. She looked at Kaya. "Yes. It does seem as though we are going to have much to discuss."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"I mean that we all didn't think Azula should be allowed to walk freely like she is now. True, Aang, Sokka and I all thought she should be evaluated a bit further, just so she wouldn't hurt anyone: I think even Zuko thinks that. But Mai thinks we shouldn't even give Azula that chance: that we ought to take care of her before she ever becomes a threat to us at all. Obviously there are a lot of things wrong with that, specifically if Mai were able to do it, she'd likely be imprisoned for a long time. And that's not something we think should ever happen to Zuko."

She nodded. "There's some other things I have to tell you, but it doesn't fee right to do it all right now: so if you can meet with me later, I'll talk more in detail then. It;s confusing, but it'll help you understand what Azula was talking about."